Georgetown : President Donald Ramotar led the distribution of the $10,000 education grant to parents and guardians of public school children at Paramakatoi in Region Eight yesterday. In the Amerindian community, the president underscored the need for children to be educated and outlined Government’s investments in the sector to ensure there are opportunities for all children.
He was accompanied by Education Minister Priya Manickchand, and Minister in the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill.
The Head of State stressed the need for people to be educated as children, pointing to a World Bank review which measured poverty in Guyana. He noted that this has been turned around and Guyana is no longer a poor country. The President also emphasised Government’s investment in education which has produced top scholars in the region annually through the CXC examinations.
He also observed that when the move was made to bring Amerindian students to attend President’s College, the opposition objected, stating that the standard of the school would be lowered. However, he said that the move was justified when an Amerindian girl from the North West district topped the school three years ago.
There are several programmes put in place by this administration to assist in educating the children of Guyana, to which the $10,000 grant has now been added. Describing what scope education would allow for persons, he pointed to the way in which lives could be improved and guided.
To further Amerindian children’s education, the government has provided solar panels so they can study at nights.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand noted that the way to rise out of poverty is for parents to prioritise and give their children the life they never had as parents. She declared that education is the future; the educational status of the parents has nothing to do with the future of their children.
The Minister also focused on the fact that top students of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) came from Guyanese homes where their parents were cane harvesters and housewives. She emphasised the work being carried out to improve hinterland education which she described as of utmost importance to Amerindians.
The ‘Because we care’ initiative was approved in the 2014 national budget and targets each child in the public school children. Over 188, 400 families are to benefit overall from the Juan Edghill initiative that will cost $2Billion.
The minister said the grant is meant to be an assistance and an addition to the resources parents already have available.
The Education Minister encouraged parents to continue to invest in their children, to make the necessary sacrifices so that they can become adults who can meaningfully contribute to Guyana and the World. “Our duty as adults, as a government is to ensure that our children have the opportunities we never had, what we couldn’t do,” she said.
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